NBL1 is Australia’s premier semi-professional basketball league, showcasing elite men’s and women’s teams across five conferences nationwide. The Eltham Wildcats compete in the NBL1 South division, representing the highest level of the club’s elite player pathway. The season runs from late March to mid-August, with selected games being televised via Kayo freebies.
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Sam Whelan
Shooting Guard#0
Sam is a proud Eltham Wildcats junior and current NBL1 men’s captain. Sam joined the Wildcats in Under 16s and commuted from Maffra every week for trainings and games. He played in numerous Vic Country sides, as well as leading the Wildcats to win the 2015 National Junior Classic in U18s. Sam since 2016 has been a part of our Senior Program and a part of some great teams including the 2017 & 2018 Big V Men’s sides who made Grand Finals as well as our 2024 NBL1 Championship in which he was captain.
Harry Stones
Point Guard#3
Harry is an emerging talent who has been part of the Eltham Wildcats NBL1 squad as a development player for the last two seasons. Harry was in the squad that won the 2024 NBL1 South Conference Championship. He continues to compete in Big V, gaining valuable experience and further developing his game.
Sam Short
Point Guard#5
Sam joined the Wildcats NBL1 program after moving to Melbourne from Ballarat with his partner Taylah. Sam spent four seasons with Melbourne United including winning a championship in 2021. He brings strong basketball IQ and a team-first approach, along with valuable experience from high-level programs. Sam adds leadership to our NBL1 roster as he embarks on his fifth season with the Wildcats.
Sam was in the squad that won the 2024 NBL1 South Conference Championship.
Harrison Horney
Forward#6
Standing at 6’9, Harry is a forward from Queensland who brings size, skill, and experience to the squad. He spent four years playing college basketball at USC, before competing in NBL1 North last season with Rockhampton, where he averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. He debuts in NBL1 South with the Eltham Wildcats this season.
Sam Alexander
Guard#8
Sam is a rising talent who has been a development player with the Eltham Wildcats NBL1 squad. Over the past two years, he has competed in NBL1, including as part of the team that won the 2024 NBL1 South championship. Sam also continues to play in Big V, further developing his skills and experience.
Zac Anderson
Forward#10
Zac is a Wildcats junior who has developed into a strong player and leader within our Youth League program over recent seasons. His commitment and performance were recognised with MVP in the 2025 Big V season. In 2026, Zac takes the next step in his basketball journey, earning promotion to a fully rostered NBL1 player.
Zac was in the squad that won the 2024 NBL1 South Conference Championship.
Zak Cunningham
Centre#11
Zak is a Wildcats junior who has played with the club since his beginnings in basketball. Zak has continued to improve over his last 4 years in the NBL1 squad and has carved out a bigger role in the team for himself heading into 2026.
He was also selected in the NBL1 South Select team that faced the Adelaide 36ers at the conclusion of the 2025 NBL1 season.
Zak was in the squad that won the 2024 NBL1 South Conference Championship.
Mitch McCarron
Point Guard#12
Mitch is an Australian basketball player who made his NBL1 South debut in 2025. He graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2015 and has since built an extensive professional career across Australia, Spain, New Zealand, Slovenia, and the USA.
Across his career, Mitch has played in the NBL with the New Zealand Breakers and the Cairns Taipans as well as captaining Melbourne United and the Adelaide 36ers. He was part of the gold medal–winning squad at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
Leo Colimério
Forward#18
Leo is a 6ft7 forward from Brazil who has recently begun his professional career. At a young age he moved to the USA to play High School Basketball before spending 4 years at D1 school Fresno State and 1 year at Queens University. He recently played his first professional games in Kosovo and is excited to be a part of the Wildcats in 2026. Leo is a two-way player who excels due to his length, athleticism and IQ.
Tj Weeks Jr
Guard#23
TJ is a 6ft4 guard from the Rhode Island in USA. He spent 4 years at D1 College Massachusetts before transferring to another D1 school Rider University for his last 2 college seasons. Since graduating, TJ spent a short stint in the NBA G-League with the Oklaholma City Blue which was highlighted by a 14 point, 4 rebounds game. TJ is an elite shooter and athlete who will be able to affect the game at both ends of the floor.
Ovie Magbegor
Forward#25
Ovie moved to the Wildcats in 2016 to play Big V Youth League after completing his VJBL pathway at the Coburg Giants. Known for his physical presence and rebounding ability, Ovie has become a key defensive pillar within the squad who makes big plays and guards some of the oppositions strongest players. Ovie was in our starting lineup in 2024 when we won the NBL1 South Championship.
Ryder Cheeseman
Point GuardRyder is a 6ft4 guard who started his career in the EDJBA with the Koonung Comets and the VJBL with the Hawthorn Magic before moving to Knox in the latter years of his junior career. He represented Australia at the U15 FIBA Oceanic Championships, U16 Asian Championships and the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. In 2025 Ryder represented Victoria at the U20 Nationals where he averaged 18.2 points per game.
Lil Dart
Guard#2
Lil is a rising talent from Queensland who made her NBL1 South debut with the Eltham Wildcats in 2025. She played with the New Zealand Southern Hoiho Women’s Basketball program over the summer and has an impressive history of representative honours.
Lil captained the Queensland State Team in 2019 and has earned several individual accolades, including the Southern Spartans Most Improved Player Award (2022) and the Coaches Award with the NBL1 Northside Wizards Women’s team (2023). She was also part of the NBL1 Northside Wizards Women’s North League Championship-winning team (2023) and was nominated for NBL1 North League Youth Player of the Year (2024).
Georgia Dale
Guard#4
Georgia is a proud Eltham Wildcats junior who honed her skills right here in our EDJBA program before rising through VJBL, and representing Victoria at national teams. Her journey led to a gold medal at the U18 National Championships with Vic Metro.
Georgia then headed to California Baptist University for college basketball playing for 5 seasons before returning to Australia. Georgia lead the Northside Wizards to an NBL1 North conference title in 2023, and last season, she suited up for Kilsyth in NBL1 South. Now, she’s home where it all began.
Sara-Rose Smith
Forward#6
Sara-Rose is a Victorian basketball player who spent the past four years competing in the United States at the University of Colorado in the NCAA, where she averaged 4.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Sara-Rose has represented Australia on the international stage, winning a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics as part of Australia’s 3-on-3 national team. Domestically, she played for Victoria Metro, helping the team secure a gold medal at the 2018 U18 Australian Junior Championships, highlighting her early impact and success in elite basketball competitions.
Sarah Elseworthy
Point Guard#7
Sarah hails from South Australia and brings extensive NBL1 South experience, having most recently played for the Ringwood Hawks after five seasons with Geelong United where she was also part of the inaugural WNBL roster, highlighting her experience at the elite level.
In 2025, Sarah averaged 14.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game, showcasing her all-around impact on the court. She joins the Eltham Wildcats for the 2026 season.
Rebecca Pizzey
Forward#8
Bec is a cornerstone of the Eltham Wildcats NBL1 women’s roster, bringing international experience. She most recently competed with the Southern Hoiho in New Zealand and represented New Zealand at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Pizzey played 7 seasons of WNBL with Canberra Capitals, Sydney Uni Flames, Dandenong Rangers and the Southside Flyers.
Earlier in her career, Bec also represented Australia at both the U17 and U19 World Cups, highlighting her long-standing presence at elite levels of the game.
During her most recent NBL1 season, Bec averaged 13 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Emily Maltezos
Point Guard#9
Fresh off a championship campaign in Big V and showcasing impressive development throughout the 2025 NBL1 season. Emily is an exciting talent who has featured across both the Big V Basketball and NBL1 rosters with the Eltham Wildcats and will continue to play both Big V and NBL1 for the 2026 season as an NBL1-first player.
Jayde Cadee
Shooting Guard#10
Jayde is a Melbourne-born basketballer who made her NBL1 debut with the Eltham Wildcats during the 2025 season, following her graduation from Santa Clara University in 2024.
Averaging 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, highlighted by her strong three-point shooting ability. With her collegiate experience and growing confidence at NBL1 level, Jayde continues to develop into a valuable perimeter threat.
Sophie Richardson
Guard#11
Sophie joined the Wildcats junior champ program in recent years and has consistently been part of Victorian and Australian squads, including winning a gold medal with the U16 Sapphires at the 2025 Asia Cup Championship. She has recently been announced in the Squad for the U17 FIBA World Cup.
Kennedy Dickie
Forward#12
Kennedy is a Canadian basketball player who brings valuable international experience to the court. Fresh out of the University of Portland in 2024, Kennedy played with the Eltham Wildcats for her debut NBL1 season and has rounded out the year at the GiroLive Panthers Osnabrück SC in Germany.
Having played professionally across Australia, Canada, Greece, and the United States, Kennedy offers a well-rounded global perspective to her game. During her most recent season with the Eltham Wildcats, she averaged 17.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, highlighting her ability to impact both ends of the floor as a reliable scorer and strong rebounder.
Mackenzie Smith
Guard#21
Mackenzie is a Canadian basketballer who most recently competed with Anorthosis Volou in Greece after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University in 2025. She is set to make her NBL1 debut with the Eltham Wildcats during the 2026 season.
During her collegiate career, Mackenzie averaged 14.1 points per game, recording a career-high 489 points in a single season and scoring in double figures in 27 of 34 games.
Addison Knight
Centre#22
Addison is fresh off a championship run in our Big V competition and has shown impressive growth throughout the 2025 Big V and NBL1 seasons, Addison is a Wildcats junior who has followed our pathway all the way to NBL1. We look forward to seeing her on the court again this year.
Program Details
Duration
Term 1 (4 Weeks) and Term 2 (5 Weeks)
Session Times
Games: Wednesday or Saturday or Sundays
Trainings: Tuesday and Thursdays
Location
Games across all of Metro and Surrounding Melbourne.
Trainings:
1. Montmorency Secondary College (27 Simms Road, Montmorency)
2. Eltham Leisure Centre (40 Brougham Street, Eltham)
3. Eltham High School (30-60 Withers Way, Eltham
Skills your Athlete will learn
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Registration & Fees
Fees
Contact
Jacob @ operations@elthamwildcats.net.au
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